An interesting question came up recently in light of the news that Nokia was A. Releasing its Nokia X line of Android phones at MWC and B. Not releasing any Windows Phones at MWC, namely the rumored 630 and 930 models. It made one wonder, with in impending acquisition of Nokia’s Devices division coming soon, is the time of the Nokia Lumia over? This brought sadness to our melancholy souls.

The Lumia had a good run, dating back several years. The design of these phones was almost instantly recognizable and distinct. Nokia’s adoption of a large color spectrum made them particularly attractive to some eyes. But now, we have to wonder, will it all be extinguished Jeff Probst style with an unceremonious, “The tribe has spoken”?

There really are two questions in one here actually – Will the Lumia name carry on (my wayward son) and will the Lumia design continue? We’ll take a look at each one and I’ll give you my humble predictions, and you won’t even have to call a 900 number or speak with a Jamaican woman.

My heart will go on…

First of all, the Lumia name will carry on. This isn’t so much a prediction as it is confirmed, as recently as yesterday actually. At first whether Nokia would continue was sketchy, but a CNET source later confirmed that Nokia will also be marching onward. Of course the final details of those arrangements will have to wait until the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed, but it’s a safe bet that Lumia moves on, and a slightly less safe bet that “Nokia” precedes it. Now we get to the more interesting question – design.

What’ll it be?

When you look at the Surface and then look at the Nokia Lumia 2520, you would be looking at the difference between night and day. A starker contrast really could not be made between tablets that have so much in common. Now that they’re both going to be sitting at the same Thanksgiving Day dinner table, it’s hard to see which one will emerge on the other side of the apple pie.

The Surface is a rigidly industrial piece of finely crafted machinery that in my eyes just looks solid and futuristic and just a little bit Orwellian. The 2520 on the other hand is the playful uncle that sweeps you up on his shoulders and jumps up and down and wears a clown nose. These two are going to have to get along somehow. It’ll be interesting to see what comes from the combined imaginations of the teams that put those two devices together.

Play to the strengths

Or maybe they’ll continue to operate completely independently of each other, Google-rola style. It’s very possible that going forward, both divisions will put out competing products, because what could possibly go wrong with that? What about something a little more interesting? What if Microsoft and Nokia play to each other’s strengths? Microsoft takes the tablets and Nokia gets the phones.

There are arguments to be made for this model. Microsoft has crafted some very nice hardware with the Surface and the Surface Pro. They could borrow from the 2520’s brilliant screen, of course, but overall, I have no complaints about the design and craftsmanship of the Surface. The Lumia phones in the meantime could (and in the case of the Lumia Icon, have) borrow from the industrial build that Microsoft has brought forth and still make it nice-looking. Just borrowing a little from each other to put together a very solid offering on both sides.

You’re in good hands

It could pave the way for some very nice hardware in the future. Add to that the nine other OEMs that have answered the call to arms for Windows Phones, and Windows Phone hardware could be in pretty good hands. I would almost like to see Nokia/Microsoft focus exclusively on the high-end hardware, leaving the lower end to the others who have already made inroads in that market. As nice as the Lumia 520 is for the price, Nokia has always felt more like a premium brand, at least in my eyes. The look and feel of the phones has always been held in high regard, which made the 520 an absolute steal.

To that end, I would definitely love to see Microsoft continue the trend that Nokia has set with the 920 series, 1020, and 1520. These are powerful phones for the power user and leveraging the Nokia Lumia brand in that respect would be the right call. There can’t be an absence of premium offerings in Windows Phone, so why not bring them to the market themselves? This isn’t to say that HTC, Samsung, or any of the others couldn’t bring high quality. I’m just saying I’d like to see Microsoft focus there

So let’s get out those crystal balls, readers. What is the Lumia’s fate going forward once all the pipeline Nokia products are out there? Does Microsoft let Nokia do its thing, or will meddling hands ruin the whole thing? Or, do meddling hands forge an even better product? Sound off below and let us know what you think.